Goodbye pesticides

Learn all about chemical-free food at the Mumbai Organic Fest that opens in Powai this Sunday

While organic products are safe from pesticides and other chemicals used in modern farming, by default, they also have a shorter shelf life. They need to reach buyers for consumption as soon as possible, something the second edition of Mumbai Organic Fest which takes place this Sunday in Powai, aims to facilitate.

Products on display at the April event

Organic farmers from Maharashtra and Gujarat will offer fresh produce at the one-day event. Visitors can expect daily veggies and fruits, along with spices, pickles as well as clay items from Gujarat. The fest will also have fashion retailers, food booths and plenty of entertainment options for kids as well as adults.

A child participating in an activity at the first edition of Mumbai Organic Fest

“Right now, we have around 20 farmers from places like Nashik, Satara and Lonavala in Maharashtra and a few from Anand and Vadodara in Gujarat who will sell organic farm produce all day at the fest,” says Dharmishtha Goenka, founder of the non-profit organisation Praakritik, which is hosting the event. The event was first organised in April this year, and since then Goenka and her team has been connecting with farmers across Gujarat and Maharashtra, and helping them take up organic farming as well as reach out to more consumers.

“Unlike what people might think, organic farming takes time. There are lots of tests and processes that have to be completed before one gets certified as an organic farmer. It can take about three years. We help farmers make that transition,” she says. All these extra costs and processes make organic produce more expensive than regular produce, but Goenka says that with growing concern about health, the demand for organic produce is increasing. “It started as a fashion statement, and to a certain extent, still is. But we are hoping for an increase in demand for organic produce,” she adds.

Goenka informs that farmers in India have to go through middlemen, who eat up their profits, the event aims to prevent that by offering organic farmers a platform to connect directly with consumers and retailers. And to increase the reach, the fest has tied up with Farmers Market, who will also have its growers offering their produce.